Hike the Lewis Pass Tops Route

Rate this Adventure New Zealand › Lewis Pass

Save List Review

13 Saves

Added by Tobin Akehurst

This hike starts at the height on Lewis Pass. It quickly climbs above the tree line and at the end of the maintained trail you follow a beautiful ridge walk to a high alpine basin. At the end of the route there are three mountains to climb and plenty of spots to set up camp.

Park at the well marked Saint James Walkway Car Park. You will find the Lewis Pass Tops Trail Head across the street. The trail begins by climbing steeply through beech forest and then breaks through the tree line before arriving at the ridge crest. The maintained trail ends here but the route is fairly easy to follow. Continue following the ridge crest past several ponds for a few kilometers.

Once you reach the end of the ridge crest look to hikers left for a cairned route through the bluffs, down into the basin between Mt. Technical and The Apprentice. The basin offers opportunities for continued exploration or camping. An ascent of the Apprentice or Lucretia is a fairly straightforward hike depending on route finding. Mt. Technical's west ridge is an exposed, difficult scramble.

Return the way you came.

Pack List

10 Essentials
Camping gear
Water
Snacks

Please respect the places you find on The Outbound.

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures. Be aware of local regulations and don't damage these amazing places for the sake of a photograph. Learn More

Activities:

Photography, Backpacking, Hiking, Rock Climbing

Skill Level:

Intermediate

Season:

Year Round

Trail Type:

Out-and-Back

Distance:

5.6 Miles

Elev. Gain:

2624.7 Feet

Rating:

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Features:

Easy Parking

Forest

Lake

River

Romantic

Scenic

Wildflowers

Wildlife

Swimming Hole

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Added by Tobin Akehurst

I am from the Pacific Northwest, where the mountains meet the sea. When I eschew the trappings of the modern world and venture into the mountains I feel as though I am revived by simplicity, renewed by the power of violent geography.

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